Chapter Text
Ajax looked at the red eyes that countered his. His breath was shortened as the feeling of intoxication filled in. It was finally happening.
They were kissing.
Diluc leans more and more, pressing the ginger head against the counter. The red cup that was once in his hand, laid on the counter next to them, abandoned. Ajax puts a hand against Diluc's cheek, caressing it for a bit before trailing his other hand to the latter's back.
Their kiss was sloppy and new. Eager but patient. Playful yet lustful but there was still some sort of hesitance between them. Even as they pull back, their eyes still locked on and everything around them came back little by little.
"Diluc! Did you find the drinks?"
The two stayed quiet before finally getting away from each other. Ajax got his cup and poured in water while Diluc does the task as to why he was here in the first place.
It was on impulse Diluc would say (as an excuse) but both know very well that it wasn't just on impulse.
Really though, the admiration started a while back in the early days of the school wherein students would calmly arrive and get their sections assigned. They would then do an introduction to themselves, one after the other but even at first glance, they caught each other clearly.
"The name's Ajax. You could call me Tartaglia or others would call me Childe! Whichever's more comfortable"
"Diluc Ragnvindr. Pleased to meet you all"
Now that a few days, weeks and months have passed—prom was coming near, same with finals. Stress was piling up but that wasn't the only stress happening around.
"Ajax..." someone calls.
"Ajax!" his trance was snapped. "Huh—? Oh... Hey Lumine"
"What's up? You were in total day dream center!"
"Hm?" he flashes a smile. "It's nothing much to worry about"
"Pre-graduation Blues? If so then same. I kind of don't wanna graduate but I also—"
"Have you ever been... in love... before?"
Lumine stops in her tracks to look up at the guy and offered a confused look. "Are you asking me for advice?"
Ajax filled his cup with water, chugs it down and heads for the door. "Nothing!! Ignore it for now, Princess!!" he leaves as Lumine stands by the counter and crosses her arms, pouts and mutters a few phrases to herself.
The ginger head walks out the kitchen and back to the living room where everyone else was. He quietly makes his way towards a certain head of blue hair—past all the students and through the room.
"You seem busy" he scoffs, watching his friend stare at the screen—scrolling through whatever he was scrolling. "No, not really. Is there anything wrong?" Kaeya asks, taking a seat on the empty chair nearby.
"Well you see... Remember the night I said I didn't have a crush on anyone? The night with Lumine and the others?"
"Mm"
"I lied—"
"That's unusual"
Ajax gave him a look of disbelief but Kaeya didn't give much reaction, swirling the drink in his cup. "No, okay but see—"
"I won't see anything if you don't spawn results, Ajax"
"—we kissed"
.
.
.
Kaeya stops all movement and looks at Ajax with a perplexed look. "I thought you said that you wouldn't kiss anyone until grad—"
"I KNOW I SAID THAT"
"So... Who's this someone? Do I know them?"
"I should've just told Zhongli instead of you. Who knew you could be such a leeching rat"
"Oh come on~ Zhongli would probably blank out and not even understand half the stuff you were saying!"
Ajax sighs, resting his chin on his palm as he caught sight of a certain redhead amidst the crowd. "Do I know this guy?"
"Probably"
"Elaborate fisherman"
Ajax stays quiet and merely watches.
There he goes, smiling about as he talks to the other students in the same class. The way he loosely held his composure around them brought some envy towards the ginger haired one.
"Diluc?"
"What?"
"It's Diluc?"
"What do you mean?"
"You're staring right at hi—Are you crushing on my brother!?"
"HUH!?"
Kaeya looks up at him and raises a brow of disbelief.
"... No...???"
"You hesitated"
"Did not"
Kaeya scoffs. "You should see the look on your face, oh god. Lumine!" he calls but before he could even call again, a hard smack was earned and Kaeya winces in pain. "The fuck was that for?" Ajax merely gave a smile.
Really though, it was odd realizing that he actually liked his best friend's brother. It sounded as if it were torn out of some cliche trope list but who could honestly blame him?
Diluc was one of the more simple yet complicated ones in Teyvat High. He had this status that allowed him to talk to people freely but is also very well respected. He had this sort of group of admirers and maybe he'd want to be part of it too but... Wouldn't it be odd? To have a guy... Specifically one like him to even like him? The question goes on and on, drilling itself into the lad's head, haunting him and making sure he doesn't get enough sleep which is exactly what happened the same night of the party.
The same night as the kiss.